It’s a celebratory retrospective on a long and varied life in show business, a declaration of identity.
There are certain voices that are indelibly linked to a moment in time, and for millions of people, especially those who came of age in the 1970s, the voice of Donny Osmond is the very sound of youth. But to define him by that alone would be a disservice to a career that has spanned more than six decades, and it’s this very longevity and transformation that his song “Who” seeks to explore. Released as a single in 2003, and then later on his album Start Again in 2021, the song is a remarkable piece of musical self-reflection. It wasn’t the kind of chart-topping hit many remember from his teen idol days—in fact, it didn’t make a significant impact on the major charts like the Billboard Hot 100 or the UK Official Singles Chart. But its true significance lies not in its commercial performance, but in its profound meaning and the story behind its creation.
The genesis of “Who” is a powerful testament to Donny Osmond‘s enduring spirit and his deep connection to his work. As he himself has shared, the song was born out of a moment of creative adrenaline. After a show in Las Vegas with his sister, Marie, in July 2019, he was driving home, still feeling the electric energy of the crowd. This feeling, this rush of emotion and reflection, sparked the song’s concept. He went home and wrote the song in about three hours, co-producing it himself. It’s an intensely personal track, a direct result of his experiences and feelings, a lyrical culmination of a life lived in the public eye. The song’s meaning is a celebration of his multifaceted identity. He’s not just the teen idol from “Puppy Love” or “Go Away Little Girl.” He’s the Broadway star from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” the voice of Captain Li Shang in Disney’s “Mulan,” the game show host, the dancer, and the family man. “Who” is his defiant answer to anyone who tries to put him in a box. It’s a declaration that he is all of these things and more, and that each facet of his career, from the bubblegum pop of his youth to the adult contemporary sound he embraces now, is a genuine part of who he is.
The emotional core of “Who” resonates particularly with older readers who’ve witnessed the ebb and flow of their own lives. We’ve all had moments where we look back and wonder about the person we were, the choices we made, and how they shaped us. In “Who,” Donny Osmond takes us on that journey with him. The song is a gentle reminder that life is a collection of chapters, not just a single story. It’s an embrace of every version of ourselves, the past and the present, and a courageous look toward the future. The lyrics speak to the universal experience of growing, changing, and ultimately, finding peace with our own complex identity. This is a far cry from the simple, sweet songs of young love that made him a star. “Who” is the work of a seasoned veteran, a man who has not only survived the fickle world of show business but has thrived, constantly reinventing himself and proving that he is, indeed, no “one trick pony.” It’s an anthem for anyone who has ever felt the need to reclaim their story and define themselves on their own terms.